Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
That was an amazing story Veerji. :wub:
You've really inspired me. I am also in a similar situation except that my family is mostly hindu and anyone who is "sikh" is a mona.
I want to someday take Amrit as well and walk Guru Ji's path. I am practicing now, but it is hard because I am still trying to fight my man. I am a manmukh and cannot wait to become a Gurmukh. With Waheguru Ji's Kirpa.. hopefully the time will come. THANK YOU AGAIN.
For anyone who may perhaps be inspired by my small story these are three photographs depicting my journey so far.
My journey started exactly 3 years ago when I entered University. I grew up in a hindu household with sikh cousins and close friends who all cut their hair. I was really just exposed to "Punjabism".-RDB, Jazzy B, khandas, Punjabi Pride etc. However when I got into college, my whole perspective of sikhs changed. I met some real Chardi Kala GurSikhs who changed my life. I saw the way they lived it and how beatiful they made Sukh into Dukh, how they carried themselves without shame or fear, and were just beautiful unadulterated creations of God. Incredible....sigh :wub: Waheguru
On the first Vaisakhi parade I attended I went to an AKJ Kirtan where the Naam Simran and intensity of the Sangat BLEW me away! This Panji took me there and took me home as well. We listened to paath in the car both ways with our heads covered ( something I was not used to doing outside of a Gurdwaara). I felt peace and calmness and noticed beauty of the world and within myself. I fell asleep to the Paath and had no idea what Guru Ji was saying. I had no understanding of Gurbani but the melifluous sound just grew on me.
I went back to my dorm room and immediately downloaded some paath. A few Gursikhs helped me out by giving me a Gutka to learn what Guru Ji was saying. I started teaching myself Gurmukhi, how to read and write punjabi, how to even SPEAK it because I grew up in a household where we only spoke HINDI!. :wub: @ I could understand Punjabi from relatives etc. but this was a task in its own! A month later I asked my friend to teach me to tie a dastaar. I wore it once and it felt like the WHOLE world was staring at me. It was great though. Mixed feelings.. I looked totally different.
I didn't start wearing my dastaar untill that summer when I started volunteering at the Sikh Coalition. I started wearing it on those days i did seva there, but didnt wear it on the others. I lived a duality for a long time. I stopped cutting my head hair but did all the rest most girls do. :wub:
My life was a mess. My parents started picking up on me working at the Coalition and found out by my cousin that I wore a " chaddar" on my head. They threatened to disown me and take me out of University. It was basically hell for a LONG time. I even wore my dastaar at home. It's crazy because I understand where my parents are coming from. ( I've been through LONG HORRIBLE arguments about why do we need religion at all? "JUST BE AN ATHEIST THERE IS NO GOD, BE UNIQUE AND DONT FOLLOW RELIGION, You were born an hindu and will die a Hindu, JUST BE A GOOD PERSON, Sikhism has a connotation of Terrorism, You LOOK ridiculous, no one will marry you, you wont get any jobs, none of us have respect for you, everyone is laughing at you") All of this from my family members. Waheguru Ji helped me a lot. A LOT. THANK YOU GURU JI FOR YOUR SUPPORT it's because of our Father I didn't give up completely.
I am no saint.. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I still am going through my internal battle.
I have stopped cutting my Kesh COMPLETELY and am practicing for Amrit.
I do not have complete support from anyone except the my Sikh Sangat.
Unforunately, we are alone in this world. Each individual is and Waheguru Ji's forces have put me in this situation to teach me.
I used to drink sometimes, and go clubbing doing stupid things. This was considered normal. My Sangat wasn't right then.
It is Waheguru Ji's kirpa that I have turned away from all of those things. I can't even believe that this is how my life is now. All my priorities have changed and I want a life of pureness, respect, love and seva with Guru Ji's grace always there by my side. even with no one to support you, YOU CAN DO IT. GURU JI WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK.
I never imagined my life like this, sadly I used to feel bad for people who used to have kesh and dhari. Guru Ji has a weird way of teaching all of us. Waheguru Ji's forces are unpredictable, so stop planning and succumb to it. Naam is the only pleasure in the world, because Naam helps in all aspects of life to lead to a FRUITFUL one!
Please have faith and always stay in Chardi Kala my brothers and sisters and please encourage and set an example for others to do so as well. It is through the examples of other Singhs and Singhnis and Waheguru Ji's Kirpa that I am where I am today!!! It works like a domino effect.
Ang Sang Waheguru!
